Gel and gelling agent



ntete o l, l

GEL GEG AGEN'E New Jersey No lllrawlng. Application May 6, i942,

- Eeriall No. ltlhilfid 3 (Claims.

invention relates to gels and to the selling agents.

Gelation is one of the common forms of colloidal behavior and gels have been prepared from many substances. It is not unusual for hot aqueous solutions oi a few percent or certain high molecular weight organic substances to give gels upon cooling. Thus, a hot two percent solution of gelatin in water forms a stiff transparent gel upon cooling to room temperature. The fcrmation of stiff gels from dilute non-aqueous solutions is, however, comparatively rare, being al-- most wholly unknown among hydrocarbon and halogenated hydrocarbon solvents.

We have now found agents which give stiff gels with liquid aliphatic hydrocarbons and with certain liquid halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons,

such as carbon tetrachloride, as well as with cararation thereof. A further object is to provide hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons and other substances such asv carbon bisulflde which have been modified with our gelling agents. still other objects will become apparent hereinafter. The gelling agents which we employ can be represented by the iolowing general formula:

wherein R represents a secondary alkyl group of the formula CHHZn-H wherein n represents a posh the integer of from 8 t 18. Typical examples of the agents which we employ in practicing our in vention are the following:

1,4-dihydroxy-2-(2-octyl) -benzene Lt-dihydroxy-Z- (z-nonyl) -benzene 1,4-dihydroxy-2- (2-decyl) -benzene lA-dihydroxy-Z- (Z-undecyl) -ben.zene IA-dihydroxy-Z-(Z-dodecyl) -benzene 1,4-dihydroxy-2- Z-tetradecyl) -benzene 1,4-dihydroxy-2- (2-hexadecyl) -benzene 1,4-dihydroxy-2- (Z-octadecyl) -benaene Advantageously, such compounds can be prepared, we have found, by condensing alkenes containing from 8 to 18 carbon atoms with hydroquinone in the presence of a condensing agent such as a mineral acid condensing agent, e. g., sulfuric acid or a metal halide condensing agent such as zinc or aluminum chloride. Alternatively, though less advantageously, these agents can be prepared by condensing hydroquinone with normal primary alcohols containing from 8 to 18' carbon atoms. The yields obtained by this latter method are generally inferior to the yields obtained using the allrene as a starting material.

The following examples will serve to illustrate the new agents and their manner of preparation...

Example 1 In a 1 liter, three-necked, round-bottomed flask equipped with a condenser, mechanical stirrer, and thermometer a mixture or A of hydroquinone and B was heated on an oil bath. to 200. To the vigorously stirred mixture C of zinc chloride was added. The temperature was maintained at ZOO-210 for 3.5 hours after this addition. The flask was allowed to cool and the reaction mixture washed with 200 cc. of 5 percent hydrochloric acid, and then repeatedly with water until the latter remained neutral to litmus. To the oil layer was then added 200 cc. of ether and the solution was washed with water and iiitered. The ether was evaporated to give a darlr oil. This material was distilled at 0.5 mm. Hg through an unpacked, indented 6 inch column. The alkyl hydroquinone distilled at D an was collected as a viscous oil, in a yield of E.

1 Water cooled for nonyl hydroqulnone to dodecyl hydroquinone inclusive, air cooled for all the others.

h "For nonyl hydroquinone, the heating period was as ours.

A B D E Gram Nonyl hydroquinone. 55 g. (0.5 mole) 63 g. (0.5 mole; of nonene-L. 68 g. (0.5 mole) 170-179 at 3 mm"-.. 21 Docyl hydroquinone 55 g. (0.5 mole) 70 g. (0.5 mole of decene-1 68 g. (0.5 mole 171-174 at 2 mm.. 25 Undccyl hydroquinone. 55 g. 0.5 molegon 77 g. (0.5 mole of undecene-1 68 g. (0.5 mole 163-166 at 0.5 mm.-. 32 Dodccyl hydroquinone. v 55 g. 0.5 mole 84 g. (0.5 mole of dodecene-L. 68 g. (0.5 mole 175-185 at 0.5 mm. 53 'letradecyl hydroquinone. 45 g. 0.332 mol 65 g. (0.332 mole) of tetradecen 45 g. (0.332 mole) 190-195 at 0.5 mm-.. 25 Hexadccyl hydroquinone. 55 g. (0.5 mole) 112 g. (0 mole; of hexadecene-1. 68 g. (0.5 mole) 200-205 at 0.5 mm.-. 34 Octadecyl hydroquinona. 55 g. (0.5 mole) 126 g (0.5 mole of octadecene-l. 68 g. (0.5 mole) 209-211 at 0.2 min l 54 Example 2 A 2 percent solution or the dodecyl hydro- Twenty-four grams (0.2 mole) of octene-l, 22 g. (0.2 mole) of hydroquinone and 27.2 g. (0.2 mole) of zinc chloride were placed in 2 Pyrex Carius tubes and the tubes heated in a bomb oven for six hours at 190. The tarry product was taken up in ether, washed with 5 percent hydrochloric acid and then with water until the wash Water remained neutral to litmus. The ether solutio was filtered and the ether evaporated to give a dark oil, which was distilled through an unpacked indented 6 inch column to give 5 g. of octyl hydroquinone, boiling point 155-165/0.5

Example 3 In a 1 liter, three-necked, round-bottomed flask, equipped with an air condenser, mechanical stirrer, and thermometer are mixed 110 g. (1.0 moles) of hydroquinone (356), 140 g. (.75 mole) of lauryl alcohol (873) and 136 g. (1.0 mole) of zinc chloride (anhydrous). The temperature of the flask was raised to 200 by means of an oil bath and kept at ZOO-210 for twenty hours. The mixture was stirred continuously. .After cooling, the reaction mixture was washed with 200 cc. of 5 percent hydrochloric acid and then with water until the wash water was neutral to litmus. Two hundred cubic centimeters of ether was then added and the solution filtered. After washing once with water, the ether was distilled without drying. Approximately 200 cc. of a dark, residual oil was obtained which distilled through an unpacked, indented 6 inch column at 175-185/0.5 mm. The yield of dodecyl hydroquinone was 40 g. or 19.2 percent. The residue contains didodecyl hydroquinone which boils at 220-225/0.5 mm.

Our agents are especially useful as gelling agents for liquid aliphatic hydrocarbons boiling between the temperatures 25 C. and 300 C. at 760 mm. of mercury pressure. Even the liquid aliphatic hydrocarbons of the gasoline range (25 C. to 210 C. at 760 mm. of mercury) form rigid gels with small amounts of our agents. The following table contains data which willserve to illustrate such gels.

quinone, i. e., 1,4-dihydroxy-2-(Z-dodecyl)-benzene, in gasoline gives a solid gel at 25 C. A 1 percent solution of the same agent in kerosene forms a solid gel at 0, the gel being fairly stable to temperatures as high as 25 C. One percent solution of the same agent in higher boiling oils such as highly refined mineral 0115, e. g. Takol oil, or vacuum pump oil or spindle 011 form rigid gels at 0 C. Upon warming the spindle oil gel, liquefaction takes place at about 25 C. The Takol oil gel and the vacuum pump oil gel, on the other hand, remain in a gel form up to about 30 C.

The most active agents are those containing a secondary alkyl group containing from 9 to 12 carbon atoms. In all cases, those agents in which the secondary alkyl group is linked through its 2- position to the benzene nucleus have proved to be very eflicacious. Mixtures of the different agents can be employed and the agents can be employed in conjunction with other compounds, e. g. dialkyl hydroquinones.

The agents can be added to any liquid hydrocarbon to increase the viscosity of the hydrocarbon, for example, to improve lubricating oils. The agents may be used as plasticizers for higher hydrocarbons and for halogenated compounds as well as for higher polymers of special types, such as rubber and other elastomers. Solutions of the secondary octyl, nonyl and decyl derivatives lower the freezing point of benzene and cause the solvent to solidify to a soft, wax-like mass of difierent nature from that of frozen benzene. The higher alkylated hydroquinones, i. e., the undecyl to octadecyl agents also modify the crystalline structure of frozen benzene so that a wax-like solid is formed.

All of our agents possess antioxidant activity and tend to retard the formation of gum in deteriorable hydrocarbons such as cracked gasoline,

Our agents possess physiological activity and can be used as antiseptics. The secondary octyl, nonyl and decyl derivatives are especially active as indicated by skin tests, 1,4-dihydroxy-2-(2- I solution of agent in petroleum ether Cloudy solid A 2 percent gel of these same agents in petroleum ether 1 correspondingly more rigid and melts at a higher temperature. Solutions of the agents in ligroin gel more easily than solutions in petroleum ether.

Liquid. cloudy solid gel..- Bemiliquid gel.

decyl) -benzene being the most active of the entire series.

What we claim as our invention and desire to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A gel, of a liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon 0! aseaeer the gasoline range and a, gelling agent of the following general formula:

wherein R represents a secondary alkyl group of the formula CflHZfl-i-l wherein n represents a positive integer of from 8 to 18.

2. A gel of a liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon of the gasoline range and a gelling agent of the following general formula:

lowing general formula:

wherein R represents a secondary allryl group of the formula CnHZfH-i wherein n represents a positive integer of from 9 to 12.

1. A gel of a liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon of the gasoline range and a gelling agent consis of 1,4-dihydroxy-2- (2-decyl) -benzene.

5. A gel of a liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon of the gasoline range and a gelling agent consisting of 1,4-dihydroxy-2- (Z-undecyl) -benzene.

6. A gel of a liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon of the gasoline range and a gelling agent consisting of 1,4-dihydroxy-2- (2-dodecy1) -benzene.

7. A gel of a liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon of boiling point not greater than 300 C. at 760 mm. of mercury pressure and a. gelling agent, selected from the compounds of the following general formula: 

